Find us an occasion with such a versatile drink menu. One where it’s perfectly acceptable to disguise dessert as a meal. That you can serve at a perfectly-appointed dining table or… in bed. And only then will we give up our unadulterated love of brunch.

Brunch, we love you. We don’t care if people call you overrated, basic, or over. We love the break-the-internet trends that started with you (hi, avocado toast) and the outfits people dream up for you, from Easter dresses to last-night’s clothes, to bathrobes.

We appreciate that a proper brunch can begin at 10, but also at 2:30, because time is fleeting. You can’t sleep through brunch, you’re just “brunching on the late side.” You can enjoy brunch with toddlers and tweens, godparents and mentors, first dates and life partners. It’s never weird, it’s never “too much.”

Brunch is great for meet-ups and meet-cutes. It’s the meal that typically sets the stage for the maximum amount of gossip, but is also most socially acceptable one to be silent at – it’s OK, we’re still sleepy too.

To us, brunch is perfect. And it deserves respect. It deserves proper presentation. Because if you’re serving duck prosciutto scrambled eggs – or bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwiches fresh from the bodega – an elegant backdrop shows that you care.

And while Pinterest-perfect recipes are all well and good, consider this: high-quality dishware and serving pieces mean just about everything looks amazing.

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Exhibit A: Bagel place brunch

Important ratios to know: A table set for 4 calls for 8 bagels, ½ a pound of cream cheese, 1 cucumber, 1 tomato, 1 red onion, and 1 pound of lox.

Important serving tips to know: Serve pre-sliced bagels from a lightweight rectangular platter (easy to pass, looks good even when there’s a single stray bagel half leftover). Spoon cream cheese into a small serving bowl because no one wants to pass a plastic tub around the table; this one fits beautifully in your hand when passing and scooping.